A friend in the market for Cherokee! Best years/ engine

OK, as a past Cherokee owner I did a little research when I bought mine and recalled most folks liked the straight six with a certain Transfer case and trans?

I have a friend who was looking at a V8. I told him the sixes lasted longer, got better mileage and that there was a certain T case that was recommended by most Cherokee trail guys.

I do not recall which ones were best.

Looking for advise. I also think down the road I will get another one.

He was looking at a 2001.

What are your recommendations?


RUMBLON

My daughter runs a 2001 Cherokee "Sport" (standard, not grand). 6 cyl. At 135k it drives great and she loves it. It has the standard part time T case. Drive straight and slow and pull the handle for 4 wd; otherwise 2 wd. This is, I believe, the preferred T case for simplicity, reliability and durability. The V8 (4.7l?) is good if oil changes are kept up and the 6 cyl has earned a reputation for really long life. The 6 is the more durable and reliable engine I believe.

Cherokee is 6 or 4 only, isn't it? Grand Cherokee gave the V8 option.

The 6 is a tough motor, for sure. In a Cherokee it's what I'd prefer over the four or early early ones with the chevy V-6. I like the original square Cherokees, they were pretty light and with the 6 did everything well.

The Grand Cherokee is quite a bit more vehicle. I'd say the six is adequate, but a V-8 would be better. For bulletproofness, the 5.2 Magnum engine would be my choice. But I own neither type. I drove a '99 Cherokee for a couple of weeks, it's a very usable car.

R.

98-01 have nicer interiors and features. The 4.0 does not get good mpg, and it's a challenge to keep the oil inside them. My daughters 96 is the best $2500 vehicle we'll ever own.

No v8's in an XJ (Cherokee). Only in a ZJ (Grand Cherokee).

I bought my XJ new in 94, just before I graduated from college. 2 door, shift-on-the-fly 4x4 (part time), 4.0L 6, 5 speed stick. Drove it for 13 years, and other than maintenance items and 3 recalls, never a single problem. Left me stuck once, at about 120k miles, when the ignition coil developed an intermittent problem, which made it hard to diagnose.

If it hadn't rusted away, I'd still have it. I loved it.

There were many different Cherokee models and options produced over the years. By picking the right year and options, one can find a vehicle that meets their needs. Here are some of the things I wanted when shopping for a Cherokee.

1. A model equipped with the handling package. (These models have a rear sway bar.)
2. 4.0 high output engine
3. 8 1/4 rear axle with 3.55 gears
4. Air conditioning
5. 1995 or older for the OBD1 computer system
6. 4x4
7. An automatic transmission (so my wife could drive it!)
8. A transfer case with the option of full time 4 wheel drive.

I know a lot of guys would want different options to better meet their needs. I seldom drove mine off road. It was used more or less to haul stuff for my previous job and occasionally some passengers.

I like the Cherokee. Mine looked stock and typically got 19 or 20 mpg with gentle driving. That is a bit better than many folks get though.

The Cherokee is almost legendary for longevity. If a well maintained model is found, it should run for a long time. They do have some minor issues. Mine had several problems with body hardware. None of these problems cost much to fix, but a few were a hassle.